Tag Archives: #L&SR

#longandShortReviews #Weeklybloggingchallenge 4.8.2020

If you’ve ever read any of my blog posts, you know I can talk.

A lot.

About a great deal  of stuff and not only related to writing.

So today’s topic prompt: Topic(s) I could give an impromptu speech on just sings to me.

Let’s start with the anatomy of the eye and then move on to contact lens care and keeping ( of your eyes and the lenses).

I worked in my husband’s clinic as a Contact lens technician for 20 years. I retired when my first book was published, but I can still give a lecture I wrote for doctors and patients verbatim if asked to right now.

Next. Want to talk about organizing stuff? Marie Kondo ain’t got nuthin’ on me! Containers, culling, and cleaning  are all topics I can ramble on for hours about.

I get excited when I think of all the ways I can stack and store stuff!

Lastly, I was the nursing care coordinator and head of an Alzheimer’s in patient unit before I had my baby. Memory loss, the aging brain, and new techniques and studies for improving cognition and quality of elder life are topics near and dear to me and I could spew on for hours just about memory techniques.

So, that’s it just for starters!!! Let’s see what some of the other authors in this challenge can wax prolific about: L&SR

I lovelovelove Long and Short reviews so much and this is just a tiny example of why: this fabulous 5 star review the recently posted for my recent Match Made in Heaven book, TODAY, TOMORROW, ALWAYS! Read the review here: TTAReview

and if the review intrigues you, you can get your own copy here:

Available at these fine online retailers in Ecopy or Print: Amazon // B&N // Applebooks   // Rakuten-Kobo // google play // Books-a-million //

Also available at the TOADSTOOL BOOKSHOP in Keene, NH

and if you’re looking for me, I’m usually here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me

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Filed under A Match Made in Heaven, Romance

#longandShortReview #wednesdaybloggingchallenge 8.21.19

Now here’s an unusual topic. I don’t think I’ve ever given consideration to this before. What do I read when I’m not feeling well.

If I use a little literary ( hahah PUN!) license, I can say that feeling well doesn’t necessarily have to mean sick, like I have the flu or a bad stomach cramps from overeating Milano cookies. In fact, the reason I ate the Milanos – because I was feeling depressed and sad – could be construed as feeling unwell.

I know…sometimes I surprise myself as well. ( hee hee)

Anyhoo…

When I’m feeling down, dejected, sad, or depressed, sometimes I don’t reach for the Milanos, I re-read a book instead. I really do, I just never realized it could be  blog topic before!

In no order – either the depth of my “illness” or the love of the book, I re-read and have re-read these books several times during my lifetime.

  1. NEW YORK TO DALLAS, JDRobb. I’ve mentioned this book so much on this blog that people are probably sick ( hahaha PUN) of it by now, but the book is not only a great futuristic procedural, it also has he best last 3 pages of any book I’ve ever read. Check out this blog post for what I mean: NYTD
  2. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, Lauren Layne. I’ve read this four times since I discovered Lauren Layne. Whenever I’m feeling down in the dumps I reread it – even just a few chapters – because the story is so witty, urbane, and upbeat.
  3. LITTLE WOMAN, Louisa May Alcott. growing up an only child of divorced parents I was lonely for siblings, sisters most of all. I must have read this book 15-20 times from the ages of 10-20. To this day it makes me feel joyous about family!

There are a few more, but I think I’ll leave it at these top three for now. Let’s see what the other authors in this challenge use as book-medicine. L&SR.

You can follow me here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

and don’t forget – DEARLY BELOVED is still on sale until 8.23. For just #99cents!

get your copy here:

amazon // B&N // ibooks

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#longandShortReviewsWednesdayBloggingChallenge 7.24.19

This is one of my favorite topics so far from the L&SR Weekly blogging challenge: My favorite quotes from books.

In no particular order:

1. BOOK: New York to Dallas, JD Robb, 2011

In a scene close to the last page of the book, Lt. Eve Dallas is being treated for multiple wounds she received from a serial killer. She is high on the pain killers and speaking to the doctor attending her. (Roarke is her husband).

Eve: “Is my faced messed up? I hate when that happens. Not like I’m pretty or anything, but–”

“You’re the most beautiful woman ever born,” Roarke said from the doorway, and Eve sent him a woozy, drugged smile.

2. BOOK: Peter Pan,  JM Barre “For to have faith is to have wings.”

3. BOOK: LITTLE WOMEN, Louisa May Alcott “I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my own ship.”

4. BOOK: TWILIGHT, Stephanie Meyer Edward tells Bella: “You are my life now.”

5. THE GODFATHER, Mario Puzo. “Leave the gun. Take the cannolis.”

6. THE GODFATHER, Mario Puzo “A fish rots from the head down.”

Let’s see what some of the other authors in this challenge have to say; L&SR

And don’t forget: DIRTY DAMSELS is available now on KU and here:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2XmMfBn
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2JkOZpA
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2XcgTZS
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2xnWg2x

from a book reviewer: “Best romance I’ve read this year, hands down.” I glow every time I read that!

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#L&SR #WednesdayBloggingChallenge 3.13.10 A DAY IN THE LIFE

Well, a day in MY life, is the actual prompt for today.

Okay peeps, ready to be bored senseless? Hee Hee

I’d love to tell you I rise from a bed with sheets as soft as clouds, a skylight of sunshine raining down on me, waking me with its soft, warm kiss to start my day.

In reality I’m up hours before the sun ever thinks to wink open its eyes or that proverbial cock has a notion and a tickle in his throat to crow. Somewhere between 2:30 and 3am is the time my body says “Hey! Get the hell up and start working.”

So I do.

Hours 3-5:30 are spent in my attic office scheduling all the social media promos I need to for the day, after first getting a bottle of Diet Mountain Dew and a cup of tea to fortify me. And yes, it takes me that long everyday on promotion. I write for several blogs and they need to be promoted. I’m usually involved in one or two giveaways each month so those need to be promoted, and right now I’m having  a sale on my debut book and I need to get the word out there about it, so THAT needs to be promoted. This is the time I answer, or send,  emails, too, plus it’s the time of day I typically write and post my Netgalley book reviews and/or write my blogs.

After all of that is done I get washed and dressed for the day and head to the gym. Since I spend upwards of 8-10 hours per day sitting on my butt – and I’m not as young as I used to be, so all that stuff about ass-spread when you reach a certain age is real, peeps – I need to do something physical and strength train-y to make sure I’m strong and healthy for the next hundred years.

After the gym, back home to the lap top where I write for about 3-4 hours on my current WIP. I’ll answer emails at this time, private messages that come through, and retweet anything my writing sistahs send me to. At 11 am every day I take my lunch break to watch The View. Love those ladies, every one of them!

Since all my friends still work at outside-the-home day jobs, and I work from my home, there aren’t any people I can hang out with during the day who will call and try to distract me from what I need to do: write.

After the View and lunch it’s back to writing for another 4-5 hours depending on what time I need to get dinner started. If it’s a late night for my hubby at work I start dinner about 6 ( most days are late nights for hubby!)

By 7:30 pm my eyes have had it with looking at a screen most of the day so I veg with some mindless Real Housewives television.

 

Now, in between all that writing during the day, I do a bunch of adulting things. Laundry doesn’t wash, fold, iron, or put itself away, so if Hubby and I don’t want to walk around with smelly clothes, or – GOD FORBID – naked, I need to wash our dirty clothing. Groceries don’t magically appear in the cabinets delivered by quiet elves after midnight, nor do I have a life-in chef who prepares all our meals for us. And the dust bunnies who silently reside in every nook and cranny of my home need regular round ups. Floors get washed, rugs get vacuumed, and things get put away where they belong.

I’m also the primary caregiver/driver for my elderly parents now who live 25 miles away, so once a week I shop for them, cook for them,  and clean their house, in addition to chauffeuring them to doctor appointments and anywhere else they need to go.

Before slipping into bed I typically check my email again, address what needs to be answered, then make a list of all the promo that needs to be done in the morning.

In bed, I’ll call up my latest Netgalley download for read and review on my kindle and read until my eyes start to bleed with fatigue. Lights out and the day starts all over again 2 -3 hours later.

See? Boring.

Let’s see if any of the other authors in the blog challenge have a more exciting life ( because you  know they do!!!) Long and short Reviews Wednesday Blog Challenge

Looking for me? I’m usually here:

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

Here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB

and the link to my recent interview on NewHampshirePublicRadio

 

 

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#L&SR #WednesdayBlogging Challenge. At The Movies!

I have to admit this: I don’t go to the movies as much as I used to. There are dozens of reasons, but the main ones are I like watching a movie from the comfort of my own, silent home in my own comfortable reclining chair; I hate movie food; and the prices per movie ( 15.00 where I live) are – simply put – ridiculous and not worth the expense. I wasn’t always this way. Up until about 10 years ago I went to the movie theater every weekend. But that’s a topic for another day and blog.

Today’s prompt – Favorite Movies of all time and why – is a cinemaholics dream and nightmare rolled into one. How is it possible to choose from the thousands of flicks I’ve adored and watched over and over again? Well, I’ll try to whittle it down.

You may assume, because I write romance novels for a living, my favorite genre of movie would be RomComs or tearjerkers. Your assumption would be wrong. So wrong. I’m an action girl and I love a good shoot-em-up-bang-bang movie! I also  love a toe-tapping singalong musical and I’m a sucker for the fast paced Preston Sturgis-type black and white movies of the 1930’s and early 1040’s.

First, shoot-em-up-bang-bang favorites:

PREDATOR

– made when the former governor of California was at his action packed height. The reason I lovelovelove this movie is because it has one of the best lines ever written. Jesse – the Body – Ventura is shot and is bleeding. One of team says “you’re bleeding, man.” Jesse’s comeback? He spits and says, “I ain’t got time to bleed.”

DIE HARD ( the first movie) the movie that made Bruce Willis a household name in the action field.

The reason this movie is so near and dear to me is because it features one of my favorite tropes: the everyday man caught in an extraordinary circumstance. Some may argue that Willis’s character, John McClane, wasn’t an everyman, but a cop who knew how to fight his way out of a hairy situation. While that may be true, in reality, McClane was just a guy trying to get home for Christmas, not a cop who stumbled upon a nefarious plot that made his exwife a hostage. Alan Rickman was at his absolute villain best in this movie!

THE EQUALIZER

– while not an everyman, ex-CIA operative Denzel Washington is no longer in the business. What’s that old saying? You can take the man out of the CIA but you can’t take the CIA out of the man? This movies’s a favorite because DENZEL!!!

 

Second favorite genre of movies: Musicals

HIGH SOCIETY

the musical version of the 1939 movie The Philadelphia Story which is one of my all time fav RomComs. (Remember those 1930-s fast paced ROMCOMS in black and white I said I loved?) HIGH SOCETY stars Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, Louis Armstrong and Celeste Holm in a mad romp about a divorced couple, the heroines’ attempt to remarry, her father’s infidelity, an ex husband still in love, and the Newport Jazz festival all mixed together in one weekend of flirty fun and shenanigans. The reason this is one of my favorites? Well, show don’t tell applies to blogging, too, so gave a gander at this: HIGH SOCIETY

Next, we’ve got HolidayMovies and there really is only one that does it for me:
LOVE ACTUALLY.

 

Told from multiple viewpoints that all converge in the ending, this movie is simply put, perfect in every way. The main reason it’s one of my favorites is easy to see in this clip: To me you are perfect

ROBIN HOOD, PRINCE OF THIEVES 

– don’t judge me for this one because I’ve heard a gazillion times why this movie is so bad since Kevin Coster is the star. But it has one of the best lines ever written in a movie as a declaration of love and that’s the reason it’s one of my favorites. When Robin rescues Marion from the Sheriff ( Another fabulous role for Alan Rickman) she tells him she can’t believe he came back for her. His response? “I would die for you.” OOoooooooh. I die from delight every time I hear that line!

 

MY COUSIN VINNY

While I don’t like Joe Pesce as a rule, this was a role he was born to play. And it also starred Fred Gwynne  (Herman Munster!) and Marisa Tomei, who is the reason this is one of my fav movies. The scene where her biological clock is ticking is pure comedic genius! Tick Tock

Maybe Long and Short should have another Wednesday blog challenge so I can add more of my favs! 7 is a bit much for now but doesn’t begin to cover them all!!!!

And because this is a blog challenge, clear here to see the favorite movies of the other writers participating. L&SR Wednesday Blog Challenge.

Tune in next week to see what the prompt. And if you’re looking for me, here I am:

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

and here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB

 

 

 

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#CharacterNames #L&SR #WednesdayBlogChallenge 1.30.19

So the prompt this week is Characters I’d name a baby after. Great idea, no?

So why am I having so much trouble with it??

Here’s what I do know – characters I wouldn’t name a baby under any circumstances:

Boys first: Christian, Addicus, Ashley, Rhett, Fitzwilliam, Tom, Marvin, Bruce, Elvis

Girls next: Scarlett, Melanie, Lisbeth,  Portia, Juliette, Mulva, Hermione, Anastasia, Scout

Those names are so recognizable, and some of them are iconic, that I fear the poor child would be doomed to always being compared to his/her fictional counterparts.

 

 

 

Can you imagine a tomboy named Scarlett? Or a WWF fighter named Ashley?

I can’t either, but maybe to other writers, those would be perfect character names for their mismatched personality-typed characters.

But not for me. I like ethic names for my characters to enhance their heritage. I like naming my characters after their fictional grandparents or great aunts and uncles. I like the idea of family names and nicknames, like number-naming. You know what I mean: Harry is  grandpa, Pop in H-Two, grandson in called Trey ( for third). I know this is quirky, but I love it.

So I guess I’d better get to the actual prompt for today. Characters I’d name a baby after.

Girls first this time: Isabella, Jane, Nora, Eve

 

Boys next: Roarke, Dylan, Edward, Sonny

Since this is a blog challenge, here’s where you can find other authors who are participating and get their take on character baby names: L&SR WednesdayBlogging Challenge.

And if you’re looking for me, I’ll be busy naming my characters here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

and here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB

 

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#SaturdaySeven #L&SR

I grew up in the era of family TV. Long before cable networks, long before censorship went the way of the dinosaur, long before the Internet and you-tube changed our viewing habits. During this era, I was a lonely, chubby, nerdy only child who longed for adventure, siblings, and a stable family life. It’s no wonder 6 of the 7 following shows were family based, moralistic, and portrayed the types of families I wanted tobe included in. The 7th was pure adventure, based on my favorite song of all time! So, for today, my 7 favorite tv shows of my childhood are:

Family Affair

New York engineer Bill Davis finds his life as a swinging bachelor turned upside-down by the arrival of his newly orphaned nieces and nephew — young twins Buffy and Jody and their teenaged big sister, Cissy. In time, however, Bill adjusts his lifestyle to accommodate his young charges, with a little help from his fastidious British butler, Mr. French.

 

 

 

Secret Agent Man

A security investigator travels worldwide. ( and one of the coolest songs ever written by Jonny Rivers.

Brady Bunch

Here’s the story … of a man named Brady, an architect widower with three sons: oldest Greg, middle son Peter and youngest Bobby. He meets and marries Carol, with three daughters of her own: oldest Marcia, middle girl Jan and little one Cindy. Tending to them is a wacky maid named Alice. They all live in a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house in the Los Angeles suburbs. The story lines deal with boy problems, sharing bathrooms, lost hamsters, the occasional football to the nose, and attempts at pop music stardom.

Partridge Family

A widowed mother and her five kids form a band and make a hit record, then travel around the country in a groovy school bus. The comedy contrasts life on the road with the cozy suburban life they return to after the show is over. There’s feel-good music, hapless adults, scheming kids and heartthrob teens thrown in for good measure.

The Waltons

The life of a Depression-era family in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains is the subject of this wholesome series. The show is seen from the point of view of eldest son John Boy, who eventually goes to college, serves in World War II and becomes a novelist.

Little House on the Prairie

Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s series of “Little House” books, this drama series revolved around the 1870s adventures of the Ingalls family — father Charles, mother Caroline, eldest daughter Mary, middle daughter/narrator Laura and youngest daughter Carrie — who owned a farm in Walnut Grove, Minn., during the late 1800s, and the daughters all attended school where they were annoyed by bratty Nellie Oleson. As the years went on, Mary lost her eyesight and moved away to teach at a school for the blind, and the Ingalls family moved to the Dakota territory –and back. Laura met Almanzo Wilder, a man who would ultimately become her husband. During the ninth and final season, Charles and Caroline sold their farm and moved away, leaving Laura and Almanzo in Walnut Grove.

One Day at a Time

Divorced mother Ann Romano moves to Indianapolis with her daughters, rebellious Julie and wisecracking Barbara, where she struggles to raise the teens on her own. Ann tries to maintain a balance between being a career woman and caring for the girls, who she wants to be able to offer the independence she never had as a young woman. Schneider, the building’s quirky superintendent, is a frequent visitor to the Romanos’ apartment, where he offers the family his usually-unwanted advice on various topics. As the series progresses and Julie and Barbara get older, they head off into the workforce and start their own marriages, and Ann continues to mend her relationship with ex-husband Ed.

Check out these other authors who are participating the #saturday7

ELF the Reading Addict  4. Peggy Jaeger  7. M.T. DeSantis  2. Lisabet Sarai (giveaway too!)  5. Welcome to My World of Dreams  8. Megan Slayer  3. Marianne Arkins  6. Lydia Schoch

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#L&SR; #SaturdaySeven

In the 80’s, action adventures ruled the box office. Big budgets,  bigger heroes, and even bigger and badder villains. The heroes were all alpha, rugged, smart, focused, and many times, men of very few words, bordering on functional mutism!! These are my 7 favorite action-adventure movies. It’s no wonder 5 of the movies I’ve listed here were made before 2000. The two that were made after 2000 are still fabulous and action worthy. But the best movie of them all is the last one I’ve listed.

Air Force One

After making a speech in Moscow vowing to never negotiate with terrorists, President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) boards Air Force One with his family (Wendy Crewson, Liesel Matthews) and advisers. When a group of terrorists led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman) hijacks the flight, the President’s principles are put to the test. Feigning escape, ex-solider Marshall stows away in the aircraft and must race against time to rescue his family and everyone else on board.
 Best line in the movie: Harrison Ford right before he beats the crap outta a terrorist. “GET OFF MY PLANE!”

 

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which is believed to still hold the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, Hitler’s agents are also after the ark. Indy and his ex-flame Marion escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo.

Best scene in the movie: When Indiana shoots a would-be assassin in a marketplace.

 

Die Hard

New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there’s no one to save the hostages — but him.

Best villain in a movie: Alan Rickman, hands down!!!

 

Taken

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), a former government operative, is trying to reconnect with his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace). Then his worst fears become real when sex slavers abduct Kim and her friend shortly after they arrive in Paris for vacation. With just four days until Kim will be auctioned off, Bryan must call on every skill he learned in black ops to rescue her.

Scariest line in a movie: Liam Neeson to his daughter over the phone ; “You will be taken.”

 

Predator

Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a soldier of fortune, is hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Dutch and his team, which includes weapons expert Blain (Jesse Ventura) and CIA agent George (Carl Weathers), land in Central America, something is gravely wrong. After finding a string of dead bodies, the crew discovers they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.

Best line by a sidekick in a movie: Jessie “the Body” Ventura when he’s told he’s been wounded and is bleeding. “I ain’t got time to bleed.”

 

Lethal Weapon

Following the death of his wife, Los Angeles police detective Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) becomes reckless and suicidal. When he is reassigned and partnered with Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), Riggs immediately clashes with the older officer. Together they uncover a massive drug-trafficking ring. As they encounter increasingly dangerous situations, Riggs and Murtaugh begin to form a bond. Riggs’ volatile behavior might just help them apprehend the criminals — if it doesn’t kill them both first.

Best comedy gag: Martin Riggs pulling a 3 Stooges face slap before head butting and arresting a group of would-be killers.

 

Wonder Woman

Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that’s raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.

Simply the BEST SUPERHERO of them all. ‘Nuff said.

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#L&SR #SaturdaySeven #TBRlist

Today is an easy topic for me: My TBR list. One look at my Goodreads account and you know I like to read. I mean, really read. My Goodreads Reading Challenge goal in 2018 is 175 books.

Yeah, I’m a little crazy.

Here’s the top 7 I’m looking forward to reading this year:

Tami Hoag THE BOY

A panic-stricken woman runs in the dead of night, battered and bloodied, desperate to find help…

When Detective Nick Fourcade enters the home of Genevieve Gauthier outside the sleepy town of Bayou Breaux, Louisiana, the bloody crime scene that awaits him is both the most brutal and the most confusing he’s ever seen. Genevieve’s seven-year-old son, P.J., has been murdered by an alleged intruder, yet Genevieve is alive and well, a witness inexplicably left behind to tell the tale. There is no evidence of forced entry, not a clue that points to a motive. Meanwhile, Nick’s wife, Detective Annie Broussard, sits in the emergency room with the grieving Genevieve. A mother herself, Annie understands the emotional devastation this woman is going through, but as a detective she’s troubled by a story that makes little sense. Who would murder a child and leave the only witness behind?

When the very next day P.J.’s sometimes babysitter, thirteen-year-old Nora Florette, is reported missing, the town is up in arms, fearing a maniac is preying on their children. With pressure mounting from a tough, no-nonsense new sheriff, the media, and the parents of Bayou Breaux, Nick and Annie dig deep into the dual mysteries. But sifting through Genevieve Gauthier’s tangled web of lovers and sorting through a cast of local lowlifes brings more questions than answers. Is someone from Genevieve’s past or present responsible for the death of her son? Is the missing teenager, Nora, a victim, or something worse? Then fingerprints at the scene change everything when they come back to a convicted criminal: Genevieve herself.

The spotlight falls heavily on the grieving mother who is both victim and accused. Could she have killed her own child to free herself of the burden of motherhood, or is the loss of her beloved boy pushing her to the edge of insanity? Could she have something to do with the disappearance of Nora Florette, or is the troubled teenager the key to the murder? How far will Nick and Annie have to go to uncover the dark truth of the boy?

Nora Roberts SHELTER IN PLACE

It was a typical evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine. Three teenage friends waited for the movie to start. A boy flirted with the girl selling sunglasses. Mothers and children shopped together, and the manager at video game store tended to customers. Then the shooters arrived.

The chaos and carnage lasted only eight minutes before the killers were taken down. But for those who lived through it, the effects would last forever. In the years that followed, one would dedicate himself to a law enforcement career. Another would close herself off, trying to bury the memory of huddling in a ladies’ room, helplessly clutching her cell phone–until she finally found a way to pour her emotions into her art.

But one person wasn’t satisfied with the shockingly high death toll at the DownEast Mall. And as the survivors slowly heal, find shelter, and rebuild, they will discover that another conspirator is lying in wait–and this time, there might be nowhere safe to hide.

Lisa Kleypas HELLO STRANGER

A woman who defies her timeDr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.

A man who breaks every rule As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett’s skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he’s ever known.

 

 

Linda Howard THE WOMAN LEFT BEHIND

Jina Modell works in Communications for a paramilitary organization, and she really likes it. She likes the money, she likes the coolness factor—and it was very cool, even for Washington, DC. She liked being able to kick terrorist butts without ever leaving the climate-controlled comfort of the control room.

But when Jina displays a really high aptitude for spatial awareness and action, she’s reassigned to work as an on-site drone operator in the field with one of the GO-teams, an elite paramilitary unit. The only problem is she isn’t particularly athletic, to put it mildly, and in order to be fit for the field, she has to learn how to run and swim for miles, jump out of a plane, shoot a gun…or else be out of a job.

Team leader Levi, call sign Ace, doesn’t have much confidence in Jina–who he dubbed Babe as soon as he heard her raspy, sexy voice–making it through the rigors of training. The last thing he needs is some tech geek holding them back from completing a dangerous, covert operation. In the following months, however, no one is more surprised than he when Babe, who hates to sweat, begins to thrive in her new environment, displaying a grit and courage that wins her the admiration of her hardened, battle-worn teammates. What’s even more surprising is that the usually very disciplined GO-team leader can’t stop thinking about kissing her smart, stubborn mouth…or the building chemistry and tension between them.

Meanwhile, a powerful Congresswoman is working behind the scenes to destroy the GO-teams, and a trap is set to ambush Levi’s squad in Syria. While the rest of the operatives set off on their mission, Jina remains at the base to control the surveillance drone, when the base is suddenly attacked with explosives. Thought dead by her comrades, Jina escapes to the desert where, brutally tested beyond measure, she has to figure out how to stay undetected by the enemy and make it to her crew in time before they’re exfiltrated out of the country.

But Levi never leaves a soldier behind, especially the brave woman he’s fallen for. He’s bringing back the woman they left behind, dead or alive.

Amanda Quick THE OTHER LADY VANISHES

After escaping from a private sanitarium, Adelaide Blake arrives in Burning Cove, California, desperate to start over.
Working at an herbal tea shop puts her on the radar of those who frequent the seaside resort town: Hollywood movers and shakers always in need of hangover cures and tonics. One such customer is Jake Truett, a recently widowed businessman in town for a therapeutic rest. But unbeknownst to Adelaide, his exhaustion is just a cover.

In Burning Cove, no one is who they seem. Behind facades of glamour and power hide drug dealers, gangsters, and grifters. Into this make-believe world comes psychic to the stars Madame Zolanda. Adelaide and Jake know better than to fall for her kind of con. But when the medium becomes a victim of her own dire prediction and is killed, they’re drawn into a murky world of duplicity and misdirection.

Neither Adelaide nor Jake can predict that in the shadowy underground they’ll find connections to the woman Adelaide used to be–and uncover the specter of a killer who’s been real all along…

Jennifer Probst THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT

She had run from her demons…

Caterina Victoria Windsor fled her family vineyard after a humiliating broken engagement, and spent the past year in Italy rebuilding her world. But when Ripley Savage shows up with a plan to bring her back home, and an outrageous demand for her to marry him, she has no choice but to return to face her past. But when simple attraction begins to run deeper, Cat has to decide if she’s strong enough to trust again…and strong enough to stay…

He vowed to bring her back home to be his wife…

Rip Savage saved Windsor Vineyards, but the only way to make it truly his is to marry into the family. He’s not about to walk away from the only thing he’s ever wanted, even if he has to tame the spoiled brat who left her legacy and her father behind without a care. When he convinces her to agree to a marriage arrangement to get what they both want, he never counted on the fierce sexual attraction between them to distract either of them from their goals. But when deeper emotions emerge, Rip has to make a decision that can affect the future of the vineyard, and his shielded heart…

Lauren Layne HOT ASSET

Ian Bradley is the definition of a Wall Street hotshot: seven-figure salary, designer suits, and a corner office. His drive off the floor is just as potent. Every woman who knows him has felt the rush. But now he’s met his match in Lara McKenzie—a woman with the power to bring Ian to hisknees.

An ambitious, whip-smart daughter of FBI agents, Lara is a rising star in fighting white-collar crime. Her latest case—the investigation of Ian Bradley for insider trading—could make her career. She knows a scoundrel when she sees one. Ian fits the bill: a cocky, ridiculously handsome bad boy with a slick swagger.

She’ll do anything to prove he’s guilty. He’ll do anything to prove he’s not. But it’s only a matter of time before their fierce battle of wits gets oh so hot and personal. Now, taking down Ian has become more than business for Lara. It’s become a pleasure—and there’s more at risk than she ever dreamed.

Three words to describe my TBR books here: CAN. NOT. WAIT!!!

When I’m not reading you can find me here;Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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#L&SR Saturday Seven

 

Another week, another list of 7 things! Today, I’m writing about 7 book series that I love! And by love, I mean LOVELOVELOVE!

In no order, here they are:

JD Robb, InDeath SeriesFrom the very first page of the very first book in this series, I was hooked and hooked solid! Lt. Eve Dallas and Roarke are a love affair for the ages. In each book, they have grown as people, in their marriage, in their jobs, even in how they navigate through their tortuous pasts. JD Robb is a master plotter and every single story is a masterclass for authors who want to learn how to write witty and spot-on dialogue and banter, plus be guided in how to weave a story to a perfect ending. Start at the very first book, Naked in Death. Guaranteed, you will be hooked just like me. The InDeath books are on “auto-buy” for me at Amazon.

Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum Series

If I was ever going to write myself a best friend, it would be Stephanie Plum. In her thirties, with one disastrous marriage behind her and a crazy family by her side, Stephanie is a bail-bondswoman -and not a very good one, at that. But what she is, is hysterically funny. The cast of regulars in the books from her work BFF Lula, a retired “Ho” to Stephanie’s grandma Mazur, a gun toting, funeral-gawking octogenarian with the body of a 100 year old and the dirty mind of a teenaged boy, and even to the two men in Steph’s life, Pete the detective, and Ranger the security expert, you will always find something to laugh at. Evanovich has created a heroine anyone could see as their very own book BFF.

Jill Shalvis. Lucky Harbor Series

I first became a Jill Shalvis groupie when I read the first book in this series, Simply Irresistible. Witty banter, great secondary characters, sex(!) This book had it all. So did the upteen more that came after it, all revolving around the residents of Lucky Harbor. Do yourself a favor: if you’ve never read a Shalvis book, start with this one, Simply Irresistible. That’s what the series will be to you: Irresistible!

 

Lauren Layne. The Wedding Belles

I discovered my first Lauren Layne book, TO have and to Hold, on Netgalley. Liking the blurb I decided to request a copy and give it a shot. I devoured the entire book in one sitting and then went straight to Amazon and bought the rest in the series, plus her entire backlist. Set mostly in Manhattan, the characters and setting were as familiar to me as if Layne was writing about my friends. With an engaging writing style and dialogue that I read out loud because it is so spot-on, she is another one of my auto-buy authors. Start with To Have and to Hold, sit back, and prepare to fall in love with her characters and with Lauren Layne herself!

 

Nora Roberts. The Bride Quartet

There’s something about a wedding, a bride, and a romance book that just pulls at my heart! Nora’s The Bride Quartet tells the story of 4 girlfriends since the womb who support one another, lift each other up and would give up all they have and are for the other. The men they let into their inner circle must be strong and know they can never come between the friends. Each story builds on the one before it until the very last, where all the girls find their own HEA, Each journey is rife with emotion, conflict, and some hot loving!

Marianne Rice: The Rocky Harbor Series

I met Marianne at a writing conference and from the moment we started talking I knew I needed to read her books. This girl truly is my sister from another mister!! Her Rocky Harbor Series, set in Maine, revolves around a family of adopted, troubled kids who all grew into wonderful human beings due to the loving influence of their adoptive parents. Each book could be a stand-alone, but when read in succession, you feel as if you’ve become a member of the family, too! The emotions are raw, the conflicts are real, and the love is everalsting.

Kari Lemor: Love on the Line Series.

I love me a good romantic suspense book, especially one where the characters on the page are real and the stories are so true to life you feel like you’re watching a movie unfold instead of reading words on pages. Kari Lemor’s Love on the Line books are my idea of a perfect romantic suspense series. Each is a separate story and you don’t have to read the one before it to be “caught up.” But my adice? You should! Read the first, WILD CARD UNDERCOVER and then move on to the next. You will not be disappointed!!

 

When I’m not reading my favorite authors, you can find me here, writing :Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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